Positive then negative result.

Hello,
I had a fresh double transfer done on the 4/09 and was advised to do the test on the 15/09, they were a day 4 and day 5 stages but poor quality. I was eager so I did a test on the 12/13/14&15 of September and they all came out positive. I didn’t really believe I was pregnant so I did another test on the 22/09 and now when I’m meant to be 5 weeks and 2 days It’s negative. I’m confused. What should I do?

Hi Eagerbeaver

I can imagine your confusion and concern. After an embryo transfer it is important to follow the instructions of your specialist and test on the day they have given. I can appreciate the difficulty in respecting this 2 week wait, it is indeed a very difficult period for anyone undergoing assisted reproduction treatments.

However, there are reasons behind it which are important. The pregnancy test measures the level of beta-hCG in your system. Some of the drugs used in an IVF cycle actually contain hCG, and if you test too early you can pick up on this, giving you a false positive.

If at 5 weeks and 2 days it is a negative test result then it does suggest that you are not pregnant. Having said this, I think it essential you visit your specialist for a blood pregnancy test and follow your doctors advice.

For more information on when to take pregnancy tests and if they can fail I recommend reading the following articles:

When should you take a pregnancy test for it to be reliable?
Can pregnancy tests fail? False positives and negatives.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes

For more information

Hi Eagerbeaver

I am sorry to hear that you have had this negative test. It does sound like you have followed the instructions on the day of 15/09 and so I understand your concern.

It may be that you have a negative result because you have had a biochemical pregnancy. In these cases, the pregnancy test is positive, but after a few days, the amount of beta hCG begins to decrease or does not evolve as it should. This would raise suspicion of a pregnancy loss.

If you would like to read more about chemical pregnancies then please visit the following link, and I hope there is some useful information in there for you: What is a chemical pregnancy? – Symptoms, causes and treatment.

In any case it is advisable to repeat the test on the chance that it was erroneous.

I hope this helps.

All the best